Reece was born January 5, 1931 in Kingston, Jamaica, the son of a silent fi… Read Full Bio ↴Reece was born January 5, 1931 in Kingston, Jamaica, the son of a silent film pianist. He attended the Alpha Boys School (famed in Jamaica for its musical alumni), switching from baritone to trumpet at 14. A full-time musician from age 16, he moved to London in 1948 and spent the 1950s working in Europe, much of that time in Paris. He played with Don Byas, Kenny Clarke, Frank Foster and Thad Jones, among others. Winning praise from the likes of Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins, he emigrated to New York City in 1959, but found New York in the 1960s a struggle. Reece recorded a series of critically acclaimed records on the Blue Note label, which were reissued on Mosaic in 2004 that gave fans hope of a comeback. Still active as a musician and writer, Reece has recorded over the years with Victor Feldman, Tubby Hayes, Paris Reunion Band, Clifford Jordan’s Big Band, tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon, fellow trumpeter Ted Curson, pianist Duke Jordan, long-time Sun Ra alumni John Gilmore and drummer Philly Joe Jones.

Once In A While
Dizzy Reece Lyrics

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Once in a while will you try to give
One little thought to me
Though someone else may be
Nearer your heart?

Once in a while will you dream
Of the moments I shared with you
Moments before we two

Drifted apart?

In love's smoldering ember
One spark may remain
If love still can remember
That spark may burn again

I know that I'll be contented
With yesterday's memory
Knowing you think of me
Once in a while

In love's smoldering ember
One spark may remain
If love still can remember
The spark may burn again

I know that I'll be contented
With yesterday's memory

Knowing you think of me
Once in a while

Overall Meaning

The song "Once in a While" by jazz trumpeter Dizzy Reece is a heartfelt lament about lost love and the hope that it might be rekindled. The lyrics are simple but poignant, conveying a sense of longing and wistfulness that is accented by the mellow, melancholic tones of the music. The song essentially asks the question: "Will you ever think of me, even though you are with someone else?"

The first verse asks the person to consider giving "one little thought" to the singer, even if they are focused on someone else. The second verse asks if they ever dream about the "moments" they shared with each other before they "drifted apart." The chorus suggests that even though the intensity of their love may have dimmed, there might still be a spark that can be rekindled, given the right circumstances. The singer seems resigned to the fact that their love may never burn as brightly as it once did, but hopes that they can at least hold onto the memory of what they once had.

Overall, "Once in a While" is a bittersweet meditation on lost love and its lingering traces. The song is a reminder that even though relationships may end, the emotional connection that was once present can linger, either through nostalgia or the faint hope of reconciliation.

Line by Line Meaning

Once in a while will you try to give
Would you consider, on brief occasions, to make an effort so as to bestow something to me?

One little thought to me
A tiny fraction of your mental energy directed towards me

Though someone else may be
Despite the possibility of someone else having a closer position in your heart

Nearer your heart?
Are you closer to them emotionally?

Once in a while will you dream
Every so often, might you imagine

Of the moments I shared with you
Recall the instances when we shared our time together

Moments before we two
The moments that preceded our distancing

Drifted apart?
When we ceased to be as close as we once were

In love's smoldering ember
Amid the remaining embers of our love

One spark may remain
A solitary spark may persist

If love still can remember
If our love can retain a memory

That spark may burn again
That spark may ignite once more

I know that I'll be contented
I am aware that I will be satisfied

With yesterday's memory
By simply having treasured recollections of the past

Knowing you think of me
Ascertaining that you still recall me

Once in a while
On occasion

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BUD GREEN, MICHAEL EDWARDS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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